California Temperatures Were 4.8 Degrees Above Average for January to June

The southwestern U.S. experienced some of the hottest weather on record in the first half of 2014, according to a report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

California temperatures were 4.8 degrees above average for January through June and 1.1 degrees hotter than the previous record set in 1934, as a third of the state continues to experience severe drought.

For eight western cities—including San Francisco, Sacramento, Las Vegas and Phoenix—the first six months of the year were the hottest on record. Ten other cities in the West—including Los Angeles, Seattle, Salt Lake City and San Diego—saw near-record high average temperatures.

The nation's northernmost city, Barrow, Alaska, which is located north of the Arctic Circle, also experienced its hottest January-to-June period on record. The average temperature there was 7.7 degrees Fahrenheit.